Victoria and buggy top.



I J. w. WOO-LLEY.

I VICTORIA AND BUGGY TOP. APPLICATION TILED NOV 16, 1907.

Patentd Dec; 8, 1908.

JAMES W. WOOLLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

VICTORIA AND. BUGGY TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application filed November 1c, 1907. Serial No. 402,483.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMEs W. WOOLLEY, a citizen of the United-States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Victoria and Buggy Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle tops and more particularly to the slat irons connecting the bows of said tops, and the object of the invention is to provide a vehicle having a closed top with bows provided with slat irons arranged in such a pivotal connection with each other to insure relatively different lengths when the top is lowered and when the top is raised, so that a covering and a lining therefor may be secured upon the bows when in their raised position and not be torn or stretched out of position upon the bows when the top is lowered.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of arts hereinafter fully described and claimed In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle illustrating my improved top arranged thereon, the covering being shown in the dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the bows of the top being illustrated in their lowered positionl Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation illustrating the ivotal connection of the slat irons. Fig. 4 1s a detail perspective view of an ordinary goose neck for vehicle bodies employed in connection with the resent invention.

In what is common y termed close work by the trade, the inner and outer covering comprising the top of a vehicle have their top and side portions each cut from a single piece of material, and the bows and slat irons supporting the top are each pivotally connected with the goose neck of the vehicle body. The top of the covering is arranged in the form of a bow, and to attain this shape the bows supporting the covering are each arranged at a difierent length from their pivotal point. With this arrangement, it will be noted, when the covering is lowered, the bows being of different lengths, each de scribe a different are from their ivot point when the top is lowered, thus orcing the sides of the covering to undergo a severe strain at their point of connection with the slat irons, which frequently results in the tearing of the covering or lining or both.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a construction of slat irons for the bows of the to s adapted to be used in connection with c osed coverings which are so arranged and pivoted as to impart a downward and a forward movement to the front and rear irons when the to is lowered, thus producing a slack which t l entirely obviate the liability of tearing andcreasing the cover, and. at the same time tending to draw the top forward upon the body support, and reduc-.

ing the extended portion of the top beyond the rear of the body thereby lessening the weight of this projecting portion and obviating the liability of bending of the projecting portions of the bows supporting the cover.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 1 designates a vehicle body of any ordinary or preferred construction and being provided with the usual goose neck 2, adapted for pivotal connection with the slat iron 3 of the intermediate bow 4 of the carriage top. The bow 4 is of lesser length than the front bow 5 and the rear bow 6, and the slat iron 3 of the intermediate bow is provided with a rearwardly extending portion or finger 7. The extension 7 is provided with a suitable perforation or opening which is adapted for the reception of a pin or intle 8, by which the slat 1ron 9 of the rear ow 6 and the slat iron 10 of the front bow 5 are pivotally connected with the extension 7 of the iron 3. It will be noted by reference to the accom anying drawings that the slat iron 10 of t e front bow 5 extends rearwardly from the body of the iron at a suitable inclination or curve to its oint of connection with the extension 7 of the iron 3.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsit will be noted that when the top of the vehicle is lowered the middle bow 4 will swing upon its pivotal connection with the goose neck 2, forcing the rear bow 6 and front bow 5 downwardly through the medium of the projecting finger 7, and as the top is lowered the bows 5 and 6 will be drawn inwardly thus allowinga lesser projection of the vehicle top beyond the rear of the body and thereby re ducing the liability of bending of the projecting bows.

It will be noted that when a closed vehicle to provided with the present improvements is Powered the strain upon the covering is entirely overcome and the liability of tearing or creasing the top effectively obviated.

Havin thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

A vehicle top having supporting bows, the intermediate bow being pivotally connected with the body of the vehicle and being pro- Vided with a rearwardly extending portion, the rear bow pivotally connected with this pro'ection, and the front bow being provided wit a rounded and upwardly inclined extension and said extension being pivotally con- 15 nected with the rearbow and the extending portion of the intermediate bow.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. WOOLLEY.

Witnesses:

G. K. ANDRUs, GoBrN STAIR. 

